Out with the old, in with the new (er)???

[ShanMan]

Hi gang. I am hoping for some good advice from you, so here goes:

My current bike is an '87 KX5. The bike is very clean. The motor is very well put together, and has been ported and polished. The bike sports and FMF Gold Series pipe with a new Turbine Core ISDE silencer. It has renthal bars and sprockets. I had a Ceet cover made for it, and I now have a surplus of plastic for it as well. Through this site, I picked up a Stealthy 14 oz. flywheel weight, and just purchased a reed spacer yesterday. I also picked up some FMF Torque Reeds too. previously, (Also through this site) I got the suspension sorted out nicely for my weight, and with new Race tech springs, the bike swallows up desert and woods terrain nicely.

Other than a new chain and maybe a steering dampener, the bike is as well equiped as many newer machines. With all of that said, I probably have $1700 (tops) into this bike now. It is very fast...even against some friends newer KX5's it will leave them after 4th gear. Of course, I am trying to make the bike less of a speed demon and more tractable with the above described components, but I suspect it will still be plenty fast up top.

So, my dilemma is whether or not I would be time and money ahead to sell this bike in order to buy a newer model (2000-2002)? I know that the newer bikes have better power valve designs, better brakes and better suspension, but the question is how much better? Is it worth it to leave behind my bike which is pretty well sorted out but aging and harder to get parts for in order to ride a newer, fresher mount? It seems that $3500 2000-2002's are out there and available pretty much all the time. Many of them already have some of the go-fast goodies as well, which is nice.

So, my question to you guys that ride newer KX5's is this: Did you ride a pre-1990 KX5 anytime in the past? If so, can you comment on just how much better your newer rig is than was your old-school rig?

I will close by saying that I would like to continue to learn how to ride the KX5 confidently and fast. I will ride the dunes the desert and the woods with regularity. I might even entertain the idea of some biginner class races after some more time in the saddle to conquer the fundamentals. Thanks in advance for your thoughts and opinions.  

[mikesmith]

I havent ridden an older KX 500,but if your still learning to ride a 500 (Im always trying to learn to ride better,Im no Pro but you sound like this is new to you)and you spent some money,have it set up the way you want,Id ride it a little longer untill you feel confident riding it,then get a newer 500.But I wouldnt put to much more money in it if your looking into a newer bike,and if you like KX 500's,Id for sure up grade when your ready.May-be some one would let you ride there newer bike,but I know the way a bike is set up makes a differance to me,so that may not be the best way to tell.

[ShanMan]

Hey Mike, just wanted to drop you a line to say thanks for the advice. The whole dirt bike thing is pretty new to me as you suggested, although I have lots of saddle time from when I was a kid and as an adult on a road bike. Still though, I would be the first to admit that a 500 is a ballsy choice for a learnin' bike. I think you are right too, I will definitely ride this bike at least through the end of the year, and then decide. It would have been nice to pick the brain of a rider who has riden the old and the new, but I guess not. Anyway, thanks again.